Dehumidifier

Abstract

Provided is a dehumidifier including: a dehumidification module including a compressor unit for compressing a refrigerant, a cooling unit for cooling air through the refrigerant, and a drying unit for drying air that passes through the cooling unit; and a thermoelectric module including a first substrate, a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate, a thermoelectric element disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first heat conversion unit connected to the first substrate and disposed adjacent to the drying unit of the dehumidification module, and a second heat conversion unit connected to the second substrate and disposed adjacent to the cooling unit of the dehumidification module.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A dehumidifier comprising:
 a dehumidification module comprising a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a cooler for cooling air by the refrigerant, and a dryer for dehumidifying the air that passes through the cooler; and 
 a thermoelectric module comprising a first substrate, a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate, a thermoelectric element disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first heat converter connected to the first substrate and disposed adjacent to the dryer of the dehumidification module, and a second heat converter connected to the second substrate and disposed adjacent to the cooler of the dehumidification module, 
 wherein the first substrate is a heat absorption portion, and the second substrate is a heat dissipation portion, 
 wherein the first heat converter cools the air passing through the dryer, 
 wherein the first heat converter comprises a first region in contact with the first substrate and a second region that extends from the first region and is disposed to face the dryer on a flow path of air after passing through the dryer, and 
 wherein the first heat converter comprises a heat conversion member having a flow path pattern formed by folding a third substrate including a first plane and a second plane opposite to the first plane. 
 
     
     
       2. The dehumidifier of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric element comprises a P-type thermoelectric element and an N-type thermoelectric element, which are alternately disposed. 
     
     
       3. The dehumidifier of  claim 2 , wherein the second heat converter dries the air before passing through the cooler. 
     
     
       4. The dehumidifier of  claim 2 , wherein
 the second heat converter comprises a third region adjacent to the second substrate and a fourth region that extends from the third region and is disposed on a flow path of the air before passing through the cooler. 
 
     
     
       5. The dehumidifier of  claim 4 , wherein the second heat converter comprises the heat conversion member having a flow path pattern formed by folding of the third substrate. 
     
     
       6. The dehumidifier of  claim 5 , wherein the flow path pattern has a predetermined pitch and a predetermined height. 
     
     
       7. The dehumidifier of  claim 6 , wherein a ratio of a pitch of a first heat conversion member included in the first heat converter with respect to a pitch of a second heat conversion member included in the second heat converter is (0.5 to 2.0): 1. 
     
     
       8. The dehumidifier of  claim 5 , comprising a resistive pattern formed on a surface of the third substrate. 
     
     
       9. The dehumidifier of  claim 8 , wherein the resistive pattern protrudes from at least one of the first plane and the second plane by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
       10. The dehumidifier of  claim 9 , wherein the resistive pattern protrudes from at least one of the first plane and the second plane by being inclined at a predetermined angle. 
     
     
       11. The dehumidifier of  claim 5 , comprising a plurality of grooves formed in the third substrate, adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves being spaced apart by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
       12. The dehumidifier of  claim 5 , wherein the heat conversion member comprises at least two layers. 
     
     
       13. The dehumidifier of  claim 1 , comprising an air circulator disposed adjacent to the first heat converter or the second heat converter. 
     
     
       14. A thermoelectric module comprising:
 a first substrate; 
 a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate; 
 a thermoelectric element disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; 
 a first heat converter connected to the first substrate and configured to be disposed adjacent to one surface of a dehumidification module; and 
 a second heat converter connected to the second substrate and configured to be disposed adjacent to another surface of the dehumidification module; 
 wherein the first substrate is a heat absorption portion, and the second substrate is a heat dissipation portion, the one surface of the dehumidification module is a surface onto which air is introduced, and the another surface of the dehumidification module is a surface from which air is discharged, 
 wherein the first heat converter cools air passing through the another surface of the dehumidification module, 
 wherein the first heat converter comprises a first region in contact with the first substrate and a second region that extends from the first region and is disposed to face the another surface of the dehumidification module on a flow path of air after passing through the another surface of the dehumidification module, and 
 wherein the first heat converter comprises a heat conversion member having a flow path pattern formed by folding a third substrate including a first plane and a second plane opposite to the first plane.